SunCast 828: Why The Grid’s Not Ready for Renewables - And What ABB Is Doing About It
Jun 24, 2025
Brian Nelson, the Renewable segment leader at ABB, shares insights from his two decades of experience bridging the gap between fast-moving renewables and cautious utilities. He explains the risk-averse mindset of utilities and its impact on tech adoption, while highlighting ABB's advancements in smart substations and virtual power plants. Nelson discusses the bottlenecks hindering renewable deployment and the significance of 'local-for-local' manufacturing, offering an engaging look at the future of electricity infrastructure.
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Utility Risk-Aversion Explained
- Utilities are inherently risk-averse because they must ensure constant and reliable electricity supply.
- This results in slow adoption of new technologies, requiring careful evaluation and long planning cycles.
Career Through Energy Transition
- Brian Nelson started his career manufacturing massive power transformers at ABB, gaining insight on grid complexity.
- He witnessed the decline of coal plants and growth of renewables, reflecting the energy transition.
Work With Utilities' Pace
- Understand utilities' need for long-lasting, reliable equipment due to their 30+ year project lifecycles.
- Collaborate and communicate closely to bridge the gap between fast-moving renewables and cautious utilities.